Abstract

Rowdy Harris

At the conclusion of this experiment I hope to prove whether or not the leachant’s of plant decay makes ground water to acidic. At the conclusion of this experiment I believe that the acids caused by the decaying vegetation will cause an extreme jump in the acidity of the water. At the conclusion of this experiment I believe that the acids caused by the decaying vegetation will cause an extreme jump in the acidity of the water.

Four large coffee cans were used in the experiment to simulate the levels of soil and ground water. One can contained plain soil, the other contained soil and dead plant material. The two bottom cans contained equal amounts of pure water. Holes were punched in the cans containing the soil to allow water, representing rain, pass through to the ground water. Every two weeks the pH of the cans containing water was taken and more water dumped into the top cans. These reading provided the results.

The results were as follows. The plain tap water had a pH of 4.78. The first samples of the water with the leachant’s were taken on October 5, 2000. The water with soil not containing plant matter, had a pH of 5.91. The water with soil containing plant matter, had a pH of 5.58. The second samples taken October 19, 2000 yielded the results of 6.45 for water with no plant matter in the soil and 6.25 for water with plant matter in the soil. Set three yielded the results of 6.51 pH for water with plain soil and 6.37 for water with plant-soil mix. Set four yielded the result of 6.72 pH for water with plain soil and 6.96 pH for water with plant-soil mix.